New Warriors: Midnight
by Darknight of WoodClan
Summary: My version of the New Prophecy series. Things are very different. The fate of the forest lies in the paws of the four chosen cats.
1. Alliances

_**ThunderClan**_

Leader **Redstar** - small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail

Deputy **Sandstorm** - pale ginger she-cat  
_**Apprentice: Sorrelpaw**_

Medicine Cat **Thornstripe**- golden-brown tabby tom

Warriors toms and she-cats without kits  
**Mousefur** - small dusky brown she-cat  
_**Apprentice, Spiderpaw**_  
**Ravenfrost**- sleek black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest, and white-tipped tail  
_**Apprentice, Coalpaw**_  
**Graystripe** - long haired solid gray tom  
**Dustpelt** - dark brown tabby tom  
_**Apprentice: Duskpaw**_  
**Fireheart** - handsome ginger tom  
_**Apprentice, Shrewpaw**_**  
Cloudtail** - long-haired white tom  
**Brackenfur** - golden-brown tabby tom  
_**Apprentice: Whitepaw**_  
**Brightheart** - white she-cat with ginger patches  
**Ashfur** - pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, with dark blue eyes  
**Rainwhisker** - dark gray tom with blue eyes  
**Sootwing** -lighter gray she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentices more than six moons old, in training to become warriors  
**Sorrelpaw** - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes  
**Coalpaw** - dark gray tom with green eyes  
**Duskpaw** - dark ginger and white she-cat  
**Spiderpaw** - long-limbered black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes  
**Shrewpaw** - small dark brown tom with amber eyes  
**Whitepaw** - white she-cat with green eyes

Queens she-cats expecting or nursing kits   
**Brindleface** - pretty tabby, oldest nursery queen  
**Cinderpelt** - dark gray she-cat  
**Ferncloud** - pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes

Elders former warriors and queens, now retired  
**Frostfur** - beautiful white she-cat with blue eyes  
**Dappletail** - once pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat  
**Speckletail** - pale tabby she-cat  
**Longtail** - pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

_**ShadowClan**_

Leader **Blackstar** - large white tom with huge jet-black paws

Deputy **Wetfoot** - black tom

Medicine Cat **Littlecloud** - very small tabby tom

Warriors toms and she-cats without kits   
**Jaggedtooth** - huge tabby tom  
_**Apprentice: Talonpaw**_**  
Oakfur** - small brown tom  
_**Apprentice: Smokepaw**_  
**Cedarheart** - dark gray tom  
**Darkflower** - black she-cat  
**Rowanclaw** - ginger tom  
**Dawncloud** - small tabby

Queens  
**Tallpoppy** - long-legged light brown tabby she-cat  
**Russetfur** - dark ginger she-cat

Elders former warriors and queens, now retired  
**Runningnose** - small gray and white tom with a very long tail  
**Stumpytail** - brown tabby tom

_**WindClan**_

Leader **Tallstar** - a black and white tom with a very long tail

Deputy **Mudclaw** - a black tom with a twisted paw  
_**Apprentice: Crowpaw**_ - dark smoky gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes

Medicine Cat **Barkface** - short tailed brown tom

Warriors toms and she-cats without kits  
**Tornear** - a tabby tom  
**Webfoot** - dark gray tabby tom  
_**Apprentice, Leafpaw**_  
**Onewhisker** - brown tabby tom  
**Whitetail** - small white she-cat  
**Gorseclaw** - large tabby tom  
**Runningbrook** - light gray tabby she-cat  
**Ashfoot** - a gray queen

Queens she-cats expecting or nursing kits  
**Morningflower** - a tortoiseshell queen

_**RiverClan**_

Leader **Leopardstar** - unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Deputy **Stonefur** - gray tom, battle scarred ears

Medicine Cat **Mudfur** - long-haired light brown tom  
_**Apprentice: Mothwing**_** - beautiful golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes**

Warriors toms and she-cats without kits  
**Blackclaw** - smoky black tom  
**Heavystep** - thickest tabby tom  
_**Apprentice, Adderpaw**_  
**Stormfur** - dark gray tom with amber eyes  
**Feathertail** - light gray she-cat with blue eyes  
**Hawkfrost** - broad-shouldered dark brown tom  
**Mosspelt** - tortoiseshell she-cat  
_**Apprentice, Dewpaw**_

Queens she-cats expecting or nursing kits  
**Mistyfoot** - gray she-cat with blue eyes  
**Smallflower** - pale gray she-cat


	2. Prologue

A strong breeze ran through the quiet woods. That shadows moved tirelessly, as if jealous of the brilliant stars above. No birds or prey were heard. From the shadows stepped a handsome golden tabby tom. His amber eyes looked carefully around, curious, yet uneasy.

"Thornstripe..." A voice whispered behind him. The tom whirled around and found himself face-to-face with a tall, dark gray she-cat. Her face was flattened somewhat and she was instantly recignisable.

"Yellowfang!" Thornstripe exclaimed, flashing a relieved smile. However, his smile quickly faded at the serious look on the dead medicine cat's face. "W-what is it? Is something going to happen to ThunderClan?"

Before Yellowfang could speak, another cat stepped from the shadows. This cat was also a she-cat, but with pale blue-gray fur and sharp blue eyes.

"Not just to ThunderClan, Thornstripe, but to the entire forest," the new cat said, her voice low and soft. "Great things are coming, too great for one mere Clan, but four. These new times shall change the clans entirely."

"You must not loose faith in us, no matter what, Thornstripe," Yellowfang said, her amber eyes staring intensely into Thornstripe's own eyes. "We will always be with ThunderClan, my apprentice. Remember that always."

And with that, the two she-cats faded back into the shadows without so much as moving.

"I won't let you down," the tabby tom spoke quietly, dipping his head respectfully. "Or ThunderClan."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Another cat wandered quietly through an empty forest that was very similar to the one in Thornstripe's dream. This time, instead, a pretty gray she-cat sat in the moonlight, her amber eyes moving calmly over her surroundings. Leaning causually down, she ran her rough pink tongue over her pale paw.

Suddenly, the brambles rustled behind her and the she-cat turned to look over her shoulder. Standing on the other side of the small clearing was a large, golden tom.

"Lionheart!" the she-cat exclaimed and ran over towards him. Lionheart laughed aloud as she brushed her cheek against his shoulder. "It's been so long! I haven't seen you since--" She broke off and staggered backwards, a look of shock and horror on her face. "B-but you're dead! Lionheart, you died in the battle against BloodClan!" She shivered lightly, shaking her head. "Am I dead, too? Is this StarClan?"

"Be calm, young one," the large tom purred. "You're not dead." However, the smile vanished from his face. "Dark times have fallen upon the Clans."

"Yes, the drought this greenleaf has created great tensions between the Clans!" the she-cat exclaimed, frowning.

"That is not what I mean," Lionheart continued patiently. His voice changed, becoming deeper.  
_"Death hangs over the Clans._  
_Four will be chosen,_  
_To meet midnight._  
_The fate of the forest_  
_Lies in the paws  
__Of the chosen four."_

Then Lionheart leaned in closer to her, his breath icy on her nose. "We choose _you_," he whispered quietly. Sootwing let out a gasp and tried to scramble away from him. While Lionheart had been speaking, more StarClanners had appeared all around them, too many to count.

Sootwing's pretty amber eyes widened in shock and fear. And, in an instant, she woke with a start.


	3. Chapter 1

The sun rose swiftly into the sky, its light falling over the forest. Though its gaze was soft and comforting now, it would be harsh and hot by mid-morning.

Outside the ThunderClan apprentices' den sat a thin gray tom. His green eyes were closed as he ran his tongue over his ruffled chest-fur. As the sun's light hit him, he raised his head and opened his eyes with a yawn.

The camp was beginning to stirr. Behind him, the gray tom could hear Whitepaw waking Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw. On the other side of camp, one of the elders was complaining loudly to another. As his gaze ran over the camp, the gray tom noticed another pair of amber eyes looking about. Just inside the entrance to his den, Thornstripe, the medicine cat, was staring in the direction of the nursery, a distant look on his face.

"Coalpaw, guess what?!"

The tom jumped, startled. He turned, licking his shoulder to make his fur lay flat. Beside him, a pretty calico she-cat let out an amused purr. "Did I scare you?" she asked, smiling. "Sorry. Anyways, I wanted to tell you: it's today."

"What's today?" Coalpaw asked, going back to licking his chest with an annoyed expression.

"My ceremony!" the she-cat exclaimed with excitement. "I'm going to be a warrior today!"

The tom looked quickly up, his expression changing. "Sorrelpaw, that's excellent! Did Firestar tell you yesterday?" At her nod he grinned. "Well, congratulations, you deserve it." He gave her a friendly lick on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Coalpaw. I'm going to wake Sootwing and Rainwhisker so I can tell them." She started padding away, calling over her shoulder, "Would you wake Duskpaw? She's on the dawn patrol with Sandstorm and I."

Coalpaw frowned, but nodded. Of course, it was Duskpaw that got to go with Sorrelpaw on her last patrol! Why did Duskpaw get to do everything with her? Couldn't they choose him sometimes to go with her? Glaring, Coalpaw stood and slipped into the apprentices' den. Spiderpaw, Shrewpaw, and Whitepaw had already left the den, leaving only one apprentice remaining. Curled up in a tight, little ball, was Duskpaw, Coalpaw's sister. The only similarity in their appearances was their eyes: both emerald green, like their father. Duskpaw's pelt was a beautiful, dark ginger. She had white fur down her throat and upper chest, covering three of her four paws, and at the tip of her tail. At a glance, one could tell she was Fireheart's daughter. Coalpaw, however, only shared his eyes with his father. Instead, his fur was the dark, boring gray of his mother Cinderpelt.

"Wake up," he growled angrily, prodding her side with one paw. As perfectly as she did everything else, Duskpaw woke with a yawna and stretched completely out, her back paws reaching into Spiderpaw's nest and her front paws falling into Sorrelpaw's. With a happy sigh, she looked up at her brother.

"Good morning, Coalpaw. I had the most wonderful dream! I was near Sunningrocks and-"

"Yeah, whatever. You're on the dawn patrol with Sorrelpaw and Sandstorm," Coalpaw interupted. Without waiting for a response, he slipped from the den. After a moment, he heard Duskpaw following.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Clearly satisfied, Coalpaw dropped his prey into the fresh-kill pile. Beside him, his mentor Ravenfrost did the same. "You did well today, Coalpaw. It won't be long until you, too, recieve your warrior name," the dark warrior purred.

"Th-thank you," Coalpaw stammered, but Ravenfrost was already walking away.

Without having to be called, most of the Clan was gathering beneath the Great Rock. News of Sorrelpaw's ceremony had spread quick. Coalpaw started over, searching for one particular pelt. And, of course, there was Sorrelpaw, sitting right next to Duskpaw...

His happy mood darkened, Coalpaw went and took a seat next to Spiderpaw and his brother Shrewpaw. Black Spiderpaw nodded to him and then turned his attention back towards the Great Rock. Coalpaw noticed with a start that Shrewpaw was looking in Sorrelpaw's direction. However, it was to his even greater surprise that Coalpaw realized his denmate wasn't looking at Sorrelpaw, but Duskpaw instead! He opened his mouth to question Shrewpaw, but Redstar spoke first.

"We gather this evening to share in a wonderful occasion. One of our apprentices has trained long and hard for this moment and she is ready to recieve her warrior name," the tortoiseshell tom started. "Sorrelpaw, you were injured several moons ago near the Thunderpath. You have trained at every possible chance to earn this. Step forward."

Duskpaw gave her friend a soft lick on the shoulder and Sorrelpaw stepped up to the Great Rock as Redstar leapt down.

"StarClan, look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard in your ways and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn," the leader exclaimed loudly, looking heaven-ward. He turned back to the she-cat before him. "Sorrelpaw do you promise to follow the warrior code and defending this clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

Coalpaw felt his heart tighten. Surely Sorrelpaw wouldn't end up dying while protecting the clan!

All the same, Sorrelpaw dipped her head and answered, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sorrelpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Sorreltail. ThunderClan welcomes you as a full warrior." The small leader rested chin briefly on her forehead and the newly-named Sorreltail gave Redstar's shoulder a respectful lick.

"Sorreltail! Sorreltail!" Coalpaw let his voice raise with the rest of the clan. He pushed himself forward to congratulate her, but Sorreltail was surrounded already by Duskpaw, and her siblings Rainwhisker and Sootwing. Frowning, the dark tom watched the four of them for a moment.

"Oh, Sorreltail! You did great!" Duskpaw exclaimed, bouncing around her tortoiseshell friend. "And what a good name, too!"

"I agree," purred Rainwhisker. "Redstar chose well; the name suits you. Don't you think, Sootwing?"

The three of them all looked towards the pale gray she-cat, but she didn't appear to have heard. Sootwing was crouched down, her amber eyes on her paws. Rainwhisker called her name again and she looked quickly up, startled. "Oh, what? Sorry, I was just thinking..." She flashed them a smile, but as soon as the others turned away again, she went back to staring at her paws.

_What a weird warrior_, Coalpaw thought to himself.

"Coalpaw!" The apprentice turned to see Ravenfrost standing just outside the warriors' den. "Get some sleep; we're on the dawn patrol tomorrow."

Coalpaw nodded and slipped off towards the apprentices' den with a single glance back towards Sorreltail...


End file.
